


The green eyed boy in the bunny jumper

by SlySama



Series: Unfinished Works. [22]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 00:29:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15522081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlySama/pseuds/SlySama





	The green eyed boy in the bunny jumper

 

HARRY POTTER DEFEATED VOLDEMORT!

Hah.

It had been two months since the Battle of Hogwarts, the Final Battle. The place was in ruins, complete disarray and it was going to take them considerably longer to set Hogwarts right again, enough to be safe for students to return and start their education at least.

It had been exactly those two months since the Final Battle that Harry Potter had been missing. Completely gone without a trace, no one knew where he was, how to find him or even if he were still alive. As far as anyone knew, he may of succumed to battle injuries.

 

What most people cared about really was that now the Wizarding World was once more safe and it was all thanks to the Chosen One. He defeated Voldemort and that's all that matter to most. There were many, like Harry Potter's friends that spent almost everyday between helping to fix Hogwarts, trying to find their missing friend.

Unfortuntely with little success. Even Hermione Granger couldn't figure it out. Shocker!!

Hah.

But it wasn't like Harry was very far away, he was just in his own Manor on the outskirts of London. Under his own Fidelius of course, he wanted peace. He didn't want more fame, he'd never wanted the fame to begin with, it had all just been heaped on him the moment he entered the Wizarding World. Saving said World pushed down on his 11 year old shoulders too. Sigh.

Yeah really just wanted to get away from it all. Wanted the peace and now he had it.

It was a good thing that he was holed up in a hidden Manor on the far outskirts of London because at Midnight that night, Harry would get a **very** big surprise.

 

Chapter I. Midnight.

The clock on the mantel struck 12.00 am and Harry sighed, brushing back his brown locks and closing his sore eyes.

It was snowing outside, had been for the better part of two hours; more than likely there was a blizzard outside with the way the wind and snow pelted steadfastly against his window pane, making the window continuously rattle, loudly proclaiming that it didn't want him to sleep. He'd been trying for sometime to get just a little rest; his eyes were sore and he was beginning to get a splitting headache. Not being able to fall asleep for so very long for fear you would see nightmares instead of pleasant dreams wasn't very good on the human body. Harry knew this; he knew that they would be nightmares and not pleasant dreams though. Had been ever since the War had begun and ended. He didn't want to see those, but for his mind and body's sake he needed a little sleep.

His body shivered suddenly as a woosh of cold air sank into his blankets and raced up his spine. Damn why did Winter have to be so freaking cold on the human body!? He snuggled himself further into his many blankets and covers, the only thing to be seen was a couple strans of his brown hair and the tips of his bunny hoodie. **Yes. Yes he has a bunny hoodie, what of it!?**

**

It was so freezing!

**

The beautiful white snow, that he loved so much because of it's pure beautifullness was beginning to get on his nerves the harder he had to try to trudge through it's thickness. The more it sank into his clothes and melted, the worse his cuts stung and the faster and harder he trudged through the whiteness. He couldn't waste time, he needed to get somewhere safe before the blizzard got anymore worse; but at least, the way it was now...They'd lost sight of him, and he them.

He was loath to breath out a sigh of relief so early.

Taking a few more steps, north he hoped, he stumbled suddenly and leaned against a fallen over tree; breathing hard, struggling to breathe. Though with the way some of those injuries were, he was surprised he actually was still breathing at all.

**

"Oi! There's something hunched over there!!" Draco's head shot up quickly, cursing as he spotted dark shadows running towards him. Shooting completely to his feet, he ran as hard as he could through the snow; they were hot on his heels.

His breathing was raggered and he tried to not turn his head and search them out in the blizzard. He just hoped they weren't right up on him. He gulped and trudged faster.

Suddenly something tugged on his body and he fell, falling onto warmer snow. He frowned, rubbing the back of his head as he wacked it against something hard. Slowly he stood, praying that he wouldn't turn and see all those shadows surrounding him and pointing wands, swords, daggers, staffs and claws in his direction.

He was pleasantly surprised to find that he was indeed **not** surrounded by them but was apparently in someones frontyard. He blinked several times as the door slowly creaked open....

And nothing came out.

He gulped. _'Please don't let this be some secret base for them and their friends!?'_

**

"Where did that brat go?!"

**

Draco spun around as he heard the voices, eyes widening to owl proportions as he could even see them; trudging around the spot where they'd last seen him. He stood there, stiff as a post and forgot to breathe.

"Hurry up. I assume you don't want them to find you? Get in the house and stay there. I need to strengthen my wards now." He frowned as he heard the angry inquiring voice.

"I said HURRY UP!" He jumped as he heard the voice yell and spun, breathing raggedly as he ran into the house and the door slammed behind him loudly. He could hear the muttering angry voice incanting, strengthening his wards.

He sat down heavily on the bottom step, panting, his uninjured hand pushing on his chest; trying to slow down his heart and trying to stay alive. It hurt the more he breathed. It just kept getting worse.

The door slammed closed again; he hadn't even been aware that it were opened again in the first place.

"I don't even understand how you could of even accidently fallen through my wards." The man shook his head, eyes closing and hands pulling the hoodie from his messy hair.

Draco's eyes widened fractionally.

Harry narrowed his own eyes as they met with Draco's Silver. "How and why are you being chased?"

He swallowed, _'I really should of thought this more through before I ran into his house. I should of recognised that voice....Shit. I'm hardly safe here.'_  He breathed in and out raggedly and then seemed to notice something and he snorted.

"Potter are you wearing a bunny hoodie?"

Harry glared. " **Yes.** "

Draco blinked, then nodded slowly. "Okay then...It suits you; it's cute." He coughed awkwardly.

Harry lifted an eyebrow at him strangely, "Mmhm. Are you going to tell me why you were being chased in a blizzard by those people Malfoy?"

"....Why do you care?"

"I didn't kick you straight out did I?"

Biting his lip, Draco shook his head hesitantly. "That's a little odd in itself actually."

He sighed annoyedly, "Malfoy."

Closing his eyes a minute, Draco just sat there trying to breathe; hissing every second inhale and exhale. It was really becoming harder to breathe and consentrate. Harry narrowed his eyes and took the four steps to stand infront of him then crouched so he could see properly; his Green eyes raked over Draco's body and the more he looked the more the Green took on a worried gleam.

He bit his lip. "Tal!"

**POP!**

"Yes Sir?"

He bit his lip again, debating which option would be better. "Gather all the emergency kit and a bunch of towels and a bowl of warm water please. Bring it to the guest room." The little Elf nodded and she was gone in a flash.

"Alright Malfoy, this might hurt a bit. Endure it." Slowly he menuvered around until he could gently lift Draco into his arms bridle style and take him upstairs. He protested weakly all the way.

**

"Potter put me down." He glared.

"Gladly." Harry chuckled and deposited him on the silver silk sheets. He laughed further as Draco made a surprised noise at the silk and the decor. "Potter this is almost Slytherin!"

He was amused, "Mmhm. I am very different than what you think I am. I have many secrets and not a lot of them my friends know of; including this Manor. Now hush, I need to cut these clothes off now, wet and as clung to you as they are." He swished his wand intricately; Draco flinched as he felt magic washed over him, he didn't trust Potter not to slice him open again.

Frankly he didn't trust anyone anymore, especially not those that pointed their wands at him. His eyes were squeezed tightly closed and it was only when he felt a hesitant poke against his cheek that Draco blinked open his eyes slowly, roaming down his body and watching as a slow and gentle hand cleaned his more serious wound with a warm cloth. He could see out of the corner of his Silver slitted eye, Potter's adams apple bob up and down as he saw the scar that hadn't quite healed completely from his sixth year; the year before. Saw him quickly close his eyes shutteringly and breath calmly for a minute before going back to cleaning his more serious wounds.

"Potter." He swallowed, that hadn't quite come out right. "Potter." Well, it could be better.

"Mm?"

"I uhm...Thanks." He swallowed again; Oh it hurt.

Harry shook his head, "Don't." His eyes remained on the seeping wounds. "You don't owe me a thanks but you do owe me an explaination when you're healed and well rested; Understood?" Draco jerkily moved his head in the affirmative.

_'I suppose I owe Potter that much.'_

"Brace yourself, when I start casting the healing spell; it's going to hurt like hell. Grit your teeth."

Draco's Silver eyes widened alarmingly, swallowed, bit the inside of his mouth sharply and nodded his head once more. Quickly closing his eyes as Potter began to chant; the quite incanting wasn't anything he'd heard of before, it wasn't in anything remotely Latin, English and it defintely wasn't Parseltongue. (Which apparently Potter could do in spell form now.)

A literal second later and Draco was screaming like someone was murdering him Muggle like.

Harry flinched back as the scream got louder and louder the more the spell healed his broken insides. It surprised Harry that he was even still breathing in the first place with how extensive and harmful his wounds had been. Was quite the Mericle

He flinched further as claw like nails scrambled across his knees, tearing into the cloth of his jeans and through is very skin. He hissed back the pain, keeping his wand trained at Malfoys bruised and battered body. Harry's eyes narrowed none the less though, since when had Malfoy aquired claws?

Those certaintly hadn't been there earlier.

"Malfoy!! Malfoy!!"

An hour later and Draco was heaving in breaths and blinking the sweat from his eyes as Harry cleaned his face and body with a warm clean cloth; finally having heard Harry's calls to him. "...What?"

"Do you feel any better? Easier to breathe?" It took a minute but finally Draco looked to him and stopped the towels progress across his chest, "Yes; It's better. Not perfect but is it just after effects?"

Harry shook his head, "I'm glad to hear it but your lungs and ribs will never completely heal; you left it too long to have it healed..." He looked uncomfortable that he wasn't able to heal him completely.

"It's fine Potter; it's better than not breathing at all." A bit of his former smirk gracing his bruised lips.

"Mm. I'll heal the rest of your wounds; not nearly the same amount of pain, but it's still bound to be a bit." He got a grunt and began on the rest of the wounds and smearing salve onto the surface bruises. Draco clenched his hands tightly into the silk sheets, trying hard not to rip them in the process.

"Alright. All done. You can rest now..." Harry breathed out, casting a senitising charm on his hands and stretching back and neck muscles that had gone sniff from just sitting in one spot, bent over for the better part of two hours. Looking up he snorted as he realised at some point during his healing, Malfoy had fallen fitfully alseep. The rise and fall of his chest, hitching every couple of breathes; there wasn't anything more he could do, they would never heal completely; as trained as he was in Medi Wizardry by Madam Pomphrey, he'd told him that. He just hoped that it didn't hinder him in the future, it could have some serious side-effects, one of which being running no longer was much of an option; if he ran to much or too fast, he would not be able to breathe.

Pulling the duvet from under Malfoy's feet, Harry placed it gently on his cooled healed skin and tucked him in; head tilted as he watched him breathe and shift in sleep. Quietly he left the room, returning to his next door and falling into the warmth and comfort of his large bed, eyes closing and hoping for sleep. If Malfoy had any problems or just woke up, the alarm that he set would; if he went to sleep at all; wake him up and he would run to check on him.

It had been a very long night, or he supposed a very long early morning. Frowning to himself that he would have to get some very good explainations without lies, he shook involintarily and snuggled deeper into the covers, once more deep enough that only the tips of his bunny eared jumper were peaking out above them. He exhaled comfortably and tried not to think.

Draco shifted fitfully in his sleep, wincing as he layed harder on the bruised side of his ribs; memories of his last days of his sixth year to the present situation surfacing against his will, his mind letting them in without a fight.

He never wanted to relive those; they were nightmares, worse even. He wimpered, one hand clenching in his sweaty hair, plastered to his forehead and the other clenching and ripping the silk sheets beside his stomach.

**

**Beeeeeez. Beeeeez.**

"Uh?" Harry sat up befuddled, rubbing the side of his numb face; surprise evident the more he woke up that he'd actually managed to fall asleep...For a while at least.

He frowned and looked around as he wondered where the odd noise was coming from, a minute passing and finally it seemed to click in his brain. "Shit." Jumping up and running across the cold wooden floor Harry slidded to a stop in front of the opened door of his guest bedroom; that was supposed to be occupied by a Malfoy.

He tilted his head, confused. Hand unconsciously clenching around the doorframe.

"Malfoy??"

A sudden coughing fit from the direction of the bathroom had Harry rushing to it's barely open door. He winced, a hissing noise escaping as he watched Malfoy cradle his head in his hands as he coughed into the toilet.

"Alright?"

" **Cough Cough.** " He shook his head with a moan, laying his sweatsoaked forehead on the porcelain heavily. He looked so weak, Harry's heart went out to him just sitting on the cold tiled floor moaning into the toilet. He bit his lip, unsure if he should move further into the room or not. He was getting concerned wether of not Malfoy was even coughing anything up or just dry heaving; even more concerned to know wether or not it was blood he was coughing up, if he was, it wasn't good.

"Malfoy..." He got a grunt.

"Are you actually coughing anything up??" Another grunt and a groan and Draco was lifting his head the barest minimum to take a look, he flinched back a little bit and put it back onto the toilet seat. Harry frowned at the gesture and the non-response.

"Malfoy?"

"...."

"Malfoy I need you to answer me." He let the barest hint of concern lace his words.

"...Yes, I am ..."

"Food? Flem? ...Blood?" He heard the quite swallow before he answered in a barely audible shaking voice. "...Blood." Eyes widening partially Harry rushed the remaining steps into the bathroom and kneeled beside Malfoy and the toilet bowl; a quick glimpse gave Harry the conformation he needed. He swallowed, pushing Malfoy back against the wall so he was leaning up and not down; able to take a proper look now, Harry groaned lowly; hands roaming gently over the bruised flesh. Malfoy winced everytime, even whimpered a few.

"Malfoy I need you to lye down and breathe slowly." He didn't move.

Harry's head slowly lifted from eyeing the bruised flesh to his shiny face and limp white hair.

"Now Malfoy." He growled. "That wasn't a suggestion."

Quickly moving to comply the angry green eyes Draco slid further down the wall so his head was just at the juncture of floor to wall. He eyed Potter worriedly. His stomach hurt and it was beginning to get harder to breathe again.

Harry rubbed his hands across his mouth and bit. _'Fuck.'_ He closed his eyes for a minute, listening to the shallow hitched breathing of the man laying infront of him, legs either side his own folded ones. His own breathing shallowed as he took in all the sounds around him, narrowing down on the ones subtly escaping Malfoy. The magic swirling around him was less then bright and lively, it was almost fizzled out; just what the hell had happened to Malfoy anyway??

This was the first time he'd seen him since halfway through their sixth year. He swallowed and calmed his loudly beating heart as he tried not to imagine horrible inhumane situations with Malfoy as the star. _'Calm Harry Calm, think think.'_  What was... !!

"Got it!" Quickly Harry moved like lightening across Draco's body, hands freezing and starting on his flesh, lips moving with little sound coming out except for the all to slight hiss and inhale of breath from his throat. Draco's eyes zipped around his own body as he watched Potter work as fast as lightening across his body; slowly his chest seemed less heavy and more easier to breathe.

Subtly the changes could be seen as he finished one spot and moved on to the next for the next half hour, never stopping to take in a large gulp of air or wipe his sweating brow; the whole experience was quite odd in Draco's point of view; watching as someone he'd known for seven years and mutually hated treating you with such speed that they were almost a blurr over your body wasn't exactly something he would have ever thought would transpire.  But apparently it did and it was. Potter didn't once open his eyes either as he worked on Draco's body.

It was odd to see Potter even looking worriedly at him or with concern; it almost made him angry before, like Potter was pitying him or something. But that's just who Potter was he supposed, he worried about everything and anybody, including his school rivial it seemed.

**

A huge airshattering sigh and Harry was pushing himself up against the wall opposite Draco. Hunching over his legs as he drew them up and shook for a minute or two. Draco remained quite as he breathed slowly again with the same little hitch as before and watched him, silver eyes slitted.

"...You wanted to know who those people were, didn't you?" It was quite but Harry still heard, his head moving jerkily on his knees in the affirmative.

"They were Death Eaters..."

"Death Eaters?" Muffled.

Draco nodded, even though he knew Potter couldn't see; eyes moving down to look at his own legs. "Yes. Uncaptured Death Eaters, the one's that remain out of Auror's hands." Silence. "Auror's are so incompetent." He sneered.

He heard a snort. "True enough." Harry lifted his head slowly, two high spots of color on his cheeks, still slightly shaking with exhaustion. He waved Draco on. Letting out a shaky breathe Draco continued his explaination, he supposed.

He opened his mouth then made a frustrated noise, eyes leveling on Potter's. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why those Death Eater's were chasing you. I want to know everything from the end of Sixth Year." _'I want to know why you have claws.'_

Drawing in a slightly painful breath, Draco steeled himself and shifted further up against the wall. "Okay. Sixth Year...Let's see; well I take it you know about the rest of it because you asked to know from the **_end_** of Sixth Year." Harry nodded. Draco nodded in comfirmation. "Well alright; I won't ask you how you know, I'll take your word for it." Another breath. "Do you know about all that Dumbledore stuff?" Harry nodded silently. "Okay. Where do I start then??"

"Hmm. When you left?"

"When I left. Fine; Severus took me to some secluded cabin in a forest covered in snow and told me to stay put then left. I assume he went back to the Dark Lord's...Then went back to Hogwarts for their plan to take over; he never came back to the Cabin. Though it wasn't like I stayed there the whole time...Occasionally I would leave and hunt for some food, I became very proficient in doing that too. It came in rather handy.

I had no way of telling what was going on with the War, no way to tell if I were actually going to be safe where I was. I was...afraid day in day out that one day I would be found. I was right to be afraid too, because sooner rather than later, they did. They weren't that pleased either, least of all my Father when they returned me back to the Manor. They were holding one of their Death Eater meetings that night, I could see into the Grand Ball room over my Father's shoulder. They were all smirking and chuckling as my Father reprimanded me...And I mean that in the loosest term. They made a show out of it, though it wasn't like I hadn't been through it before for just my Father and Severus.

Severus wasn't there though, at least I don't think he was. I would hope if he ever saw me there, he'd tried and help, but then...I suppose that would be an unforfilled hope; I know deep down he wouldn't of blown his cover just for me."

Harry's eyes widened even more than they had when he heard about his Father making a show out of 'reprimanding' him. "You knew about Snape??"

Draco nodded, "Yes. I didn't find out though till halfway through Sixth Year."

"Oh."

"Mmhm...Want me to continue??" Harry nodded quickly, waving him to continue.

"Uhm. Well after their little show, Father dragged me by my hair to the feet of the Dark Lord...Who was quite pleased with my Father for his punishment of his disobedient son. I on the other hand, wasn't so pleased...My hair was further yanked on when I continued to look down instead of up at their Lord. He hissed something into my face, I don't really know what; but I'm thinking probably something like execution for further disobedience. I blacked out a little after that, I remember feeling searing pain and something raking across my body like knives." He shrugged uncomfortable, trying not to look into Potter's eyes, having left out crucial information he'd rather not share. He knew exactly what that had been, but he didn't want Potter to know that.

"Okay...Then what?"

"Well, I didn't disobey; I couldn't disobey. I remember something about a Battle, I assume it was the Final Battle; I 'woke up' when it was over...I knew then that the War was finally over, but I still hadn't a clue who had won until someone rushed passed the spot I was lying in pretending to be dead and said that they were thankfull it was finally over and that their side, the Light side had actually won."

"Wait...You were at the Battle. Wouldn't someone have recognised you??" He blinked, a confused expression gracing his handsome face.

Draco shook his head, "Glamour charms... And a lot of blood."

"Right." He looked uncomfortable as he eyed Draco's bruised body.

Draco's eyes followed his across his own body, "Some. Not all though...Mostly, these are from the Death Eater's that were chasing me in the Blizzard."

"And they were chasing you because??"

"I disobeyed a little in battle...Apparently; I don't really remember. But apparently I killed quite a few of their own men." He shrugged completely nonplussed.

Harry blinked, "You're not even concerned that you killed people Malfoy?"

Draco opened his mouth then closed it a second, a frown marring his brow. "Well...I'm not exactly thrilled to be a Murderer Potter; it's not like I had much choice. I lot of us didn't have a choice, including yourself."

He sighed and nodded resigned, his head once more laying on his knees; eyes staring off into nothing. He suddenly snorted, "That's very true. I apologise for the comment, I'm a murderer too."

"Mm. I'm sure you have some remorse for those you killed though, even if they were Death Eater's. There were bound to be a lot that you knew from school, plus your a Gryffindor."

"What's being a Gryffindor got to do with anything??"

He shrugged, "Chilvry."

Harry's eyebrow raised from his tilted head, Green eyes glittering. "I'm not much of a Gryffindor at Heart Malfoy."

"Oh?"

"Oh." Harry chuckled. Draco's own white eyebrow raised incuringly, waiting for further explainations. Harry shook his head, not wanting to give Malfoy that information; he hadn't even given his friend's that secret yet. "Not yet Malfoy, earn your keep and explain the rest of your story."

He snorted, "Very well. When no one was insight I got up and I ran, ran as fast and as far as I could with the injures I had aquired. It stung like hell, but I apparated to the white forest. Then ran again far away from the Cabin that was there in case someone was already there waiting for me to show up.

I knew they would be angry that they had lost and their Lord had been destroyed. I hid, I hid for as long as I was able too. I apparted to random locations, unconcerned if I got slightly splinched in the process. I didn't really care at that point, I was already in a lot of pain and I didn't want to be caught and tortured or killed by angry uncaptured Death Eaters."

He sat quietly for a moment as he tried to supress the memories.

Harry watched him silently, swallowing and blinking as his eyes began to sting; he looked away uncomfortably. Malfoy obviously hadn't noticed that he'd been crying for the last minute as he sat silently, hunched down against the wall akwardly.

"Perhaps we should go back into the bedroom, it'll be more comfortable for you then the floor and wall of the bathroom." Harry awkwardly laughed as he stood and leaned down to pull Draco to his feet.

He sniffled and seemed to frown as he finally realised that his face wasn't wet with sweat but with tears. He blinked quickly and wiped them away before slowly stetching out his hand to get the aid to his feet. Walking swiftly into the room, he completely ignored Harry's presence as he sat on the edge of the bed and pushed himself backwards so he was leaning against the headboard stiffly.

He coughed.

Harry coughed. "Uh, can I?" He waved to the other side of the bed. Draco's head only moved the slightest bit for acceptance but seeing it, Harry smiled sweetly and hurried over to the otherside; situating himself comfortably, making sure he wasn't sideways staring at Draco as he talked. Less nerving that way and less awkward.

"Go on..."

Another awkward coughing fit and Draco quitely started where he had left off, "I didn't succeed obviously, I was captured by Death Eaters; my fault though, I was tired, I hadn't slept in so long...I made the mistake of going back to one of the place I'd already visited earlier that day. They were tracking me...even before the Battle. They were tracking me...They were playing with me, Potter. They knew exactly where I was, they wanted to play chase." He sounded disgusted with himself.

"They had finally decided to stop playing chase and just capture me soon enough. And they did, caught me good. I was such an idiot! I was played for a fool! ....I wanted to bang my head onto a wall, though of course they did that for me. Well actually more specifically, my Father did that for me." He frowned suddenly. "I'm surprised you didn't heal my head...I would of thought that was a pressing injuring too."

Worrying his lip Harry shook his head, he had worried about that; there wasn't a way he'd miss that.

"I saw it. It wasn't very pretty, but I healed it the same time I healed your lungs and ribs; my wand was trained on your chest but my left hand was near your head." Draco blinked, then turned his head.

"You can do wandless magic???" He nodded, head bowed. It wasn't something he was competely proud of, and never would be. Draco tilted his head, trying to see Potter's face; confused to why he didn't sound too proud to be powerful enough to cast wandless magic. "Why are you not..."

He shook his head and took a larger than normal breath, "It's another of those secrets Malfoy. Continue your story. Please." He blinked but shrugged. "Okay."

"I was tortured, every day and every night I'm almost 90% sure. There may have been a couple occasions where they would leave me alone to rest or something...Most of those two months are a bluur to me. Though I'm not surprised by that, I'm actually sort of glad I can't recall much of it. Having ones own Father torture them isn't exactly something a child wants to ever experience; me though, I always had that experience, it just seemed less in control and more fierce them earlier attempts on my life." He started to sound sarcastic, "I don't even recall how I escaped the other night but I somehow managed it. Also for some reason, I apparated here; I had a vague thought that I had been here before...Which is odd. And I'm still not sure myself how I got inside your wards, they kind of pulled me in really." He shrugged.

Harry nodded, still feeling frustrated about his wards letting him in.

"That's it? That's the story?? All of it?" Draco nodded, avoiding eye contact as Potter turned on the bed to face him. Emerald eyes narrowing as if searching for lies or any hidden truths. He swallowed.

After a moment he seemed to let the issue go with a sigh, running his hands through his messy brown hair. "Potter. I want to know what you meant before. And about your wandless magic."

"What about my wandless magic?" He eyed him unconcernedly from under his fringe.

"Why do you have that expression when you talk about it? Or when someone mentions it. You should be proud you can accomplish wandless magic." He smiled sadly.

"You want to know why? I don't want it. I don't want to be the most powerful wizard in the Wizarding World. I don't want people to be afraid of me under all that smiling gradulatory facade. I defeated Voldemort with that wandless magic. I killed Death Eaters with that wandless magic. I killed people I thought were my friends with that wandless magic. When I get angry I scare people. I don't want that! I can't control it with some of my emotions. I don't want to end up hurting people, I don't want to be thought of becoming the next Dark Lord. I don't want to be this powerful Malfoy. That, is why." He hiccuped on the end of his words and pushed his face into his hands, his body sitting on the edge of the bed, ready to flee to his own room any second.

"Potter..."

He shook his head, "Don't. Just...Don't." Draco sighed and pushed his white hair back out of his face, moving his hand hesitantly to rest on Potter's shoulder. "I'm sorry." It was akward.

"I said don't. Just leave it." He shrugged off the hand and stood, smoothing down his baggy pyjama pants and bunny eared hoodie. "I think you should rest a little more, it's still early in the morning. The Sun has barely risen in the sky, rest." He took a few steps before he was stopped with Draco's hand outstretched around his wrist, an unknown pleading look in his silver eyes.

"You need to rest."

"I don't want too, I'm not tired...What did you mean when you said you weren't Gryffindor at heart? What is that supposed to mean..."

"It means I wasn't supposed to be in Gryffindor. I asked the hat to put me there."

"You...You **asked** the hat to put you in Gryffindor." He sounded incredulous.

Harry nodded, "Yes. I asked it too. It did, though it didn't sounded terribly pleased by the prospect."

"What House were you supposed to be in?" He sounded almost afraid to ask.

Harry turned completely around then, disentangling the fingers around his wrist and pulling Draco towards him with said hand, leaning into Draco's face, his eyes wide in disbelief. A smirk on his face, he practically purred, " ** _Slytherin._** "

"S..S...Slytherin!?" Harry let go quickly and backed up. He chuckled as he dodged the arms trying to grab him and the pillow that flew towards his face and ran out of the room, yelling behind him. "Get some rest! Call Tal when you wake up and she'll show you to where ever I am at the time!"

Draco just sat there on the bed, completely derailed and fussled. "Slytherin...Potter's an actual Slytherin in Gryffindor clothes. **HOLY SHIT!** " He felt as though his whole life had just been completely flipped upside down and chucked into one of those muggle washing machine's. He could still hear Potter chuckling away as he waltzed down the stairs.

 

Chapter II. More Secrets.

The morning was barely starting, the yellow sun having only just risen from it's slumber and begun to wake the sky with light blues and white clouds.

Harry sat at the kitchen table, drinking his hot earl grey tea and reading the Quibbler; much better than the Daily Phophet ever was or would be, that was for sure. Reading something interesting on something called a Spirit of Lucifer, Harry didn't notice until the magazine was being wripped out of hands that someone else had risen from slumber and decided to have breakfast this early too.

"Potter what are you reading?" He sneered down at the odd magazine in his hands and threw it onto the otherside of the kitchen table, picking up one of the crispy pieces of bacon on Harry's plate. Harry glared and snatched the magazine back up and continued to read and sip his tea; ignoring Draco's hands reaching for another piece of crispy bacon.

"Do you plan to--" The sound of owl wings outside the window had Draco cutting off his words and narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Harry snorted as he too looked then stood to let the little thing in, "Relax Malfoy. It's just Pig."

Draco blinked, "It's a what? Potter I'm pretty sure you still need glasses, that is an owl." He started to sound like he was talking to a particularly stupid person. Harry shook his head, "No, I don't. And I realise he is an Owl, but his name is Pig; short for Pigwidgen." He shrugged. "He's Ron's owl."

"He looks like a flying ball of fluff." Harry burst out laughing and Draco looked at him oddly.

"I know. It's something many people have said many times. Oddly though, this isn't a letter from Ron. It's seems someone's using Pig as a Hogwarts Owl. Strange that he could actually find this place though." He looked down suspiciously at the little feathery puff and poked it's stomach gently.

"I'll go strengthen my wards again just incase. I don't want anybody to find this place, least of all those Death Eaters...." Even though 'Least of all my friends' wasn't said, Draco still picked up on the silent unspoken words. Strangely enough.

"I'll open these then??" He held up the two Hogwarts sealed envelopes and handed a piece of bacon to the pecking little owl in front of his other hand. Harry nodded as he left the room.

Using the butterknife at the table Draco slit the envelope and removed the two letters inside, he frowned at the green letters spread across the parchments.

 

Former Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Potter,

 

 Please note that in the circumstances surrounding your Seventh and last year of Hogwarts we have made an exception for those of you from the previous year to return for your last year; this will be known as Eighth Year.

Though an Eighth Year you will have the same privileges of all Seventh Years, note that Eighth Years will be given their own dormrooms in different parts of the Castle.

Your houses still remain, please stay in your designated dormrooms.

As you are now an Eighth Year and have formally been recognised by the Ministry at 17 years of age as an Adult, you are allowed to visit the Village of Hogsmead every weekend.

Study hard for all your N.E.W.T's.

The new school year will begin on September the First. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.

A list of all your Seventh/Eighth Year books and equipment is enclosed.

We hope you return Harry.

Your's Sincerly,

Minerva McGonagall Headmistress

and

Severus Snape Deputy Headmaster.

 

Draco scoffed at Potter's Hogwarts letter then gasped and widened his eyes as they fell on a name he hadn't thought would be there, or anywhere but on a gravestone. Severus was still alive?!

Shakily putting that letter down he picked up the other one with a swallow.

 

Former Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr Malfoy,

 

 Please note that in the unfortunate circumstances surrounding your Seventh and last year of Hogwarts we have made an exception for those of you from the previous year to return for your last year; this will be known as Eighth Year.

Though an Eighth Year you will have the same privileges of all Seventh Years, note that Eighth Years will be given their own dormrooms in different parts of the Castle.

Your houses still remain, please stay in your designated dormrooms.

 

Most misfortuntely under the eyes of the Ministry you are a rogue criminal, if you decide to return to this school for your last year you will have to obide by the Ministries and Hogwarts conditions.

The moment you return you will be subjected to veritserum with a Ministry official, depending on what is uncovered during this time;

 you are allowed to visit the Village of Hogsmead every weekend under supervision.

Study hard for all your N.E.W.T's.

The new school year will begin on September the First. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.

A list of all your Seventh/Eighth Year books and equipment is enclosed. 

Your's Sincerly,

Severus Snape Deputy Headmaster.

and

Minerva McGonagall Headmistress.

 

Shakily, hands gripping the sides of the letter and crinkling them Draco re-read over the letter. If he were to return he would be subjected to veritserum; if Severus were there and as Deputy Headmaster then he did the same thing and they let him go free. But what about him? He was the son of a Death Eater...Did it make any difference if he was innocent?

By the time Potter came back into the kitchen, the Hogwarts letter was crushed into his hands; the sides ripping and tearing.

"Malfoy??"

He didn't respond.

"Malfoy? Malfoy are you okay? What are those letters??" He picked up the smooth untouched letter and read the green letters, re-reading several times before letting out a ragged breath and turning his head to Draco as he sat heavily in the chair beside him.

"You got one too I take it??"

He nodded without a word. Harry nodded back and sighed, running his hands through his hair. "What do you want to do, I expect it's nothing like mine..." Wordlessly he handed the crimpled parchment to Harry and he looked it over, twice.

"Fair enough. What do you want to do?"

He shrugged awkwardly, then turned to him. "I don't know. I'm a criminal Potter, even if I take veritserum, what would make them believe anything I say? I'm Lucius Malfoy's son." A second and he snorted before Harry could form any words of comfort. "Disowned son."

"Well...Make a choice. Take the chance and return to Hogwarts? Or stay here forever?" He crossed his arms and eyed him.

A moment later and he was hitting his head very un-Malfoy like against the table top, his head angled to watch Harry. "I'll go if you do."

Harry smirked, "I plan too." Draco frowned and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The only response was for Harry to chuckle and poke his tongue before pulling his tea to him and draining the rest in one gulp.

Draco licked his lips.

**

The next couple of months were spent half getting to know each other and half ignoring each other when they got on each other's nerves.

But finally, finally it was September First!

**

"Malfoy hurry up!!"

Draco cursed and ran out of the bathroom fixing his owl ordered clothes, almost running out of the bedroom without his trunk, he cursed again, rushed back and tripped over the rug. "Fuck!"

"Malfoy!!"

"I'm coming, don't get your wand in a knott!!" He heard the laugh as he almost fell down the stairs. Harry raised an eyebrow as he finally fell down the last two steps. Draco glared, "Well, come on." Pushing open the door and holding it open as if he were a Butler.

Harry chuckled and shook his head, waving his hand and watching as both trunks went zooming into the Silver Ferari parked in the driveway. His eyes widened, it was the first he was seeing such a thing.

"It's called a car." He looked so amused as he quickly walked to the car and opened the drivers side, seating sideways. "Coming or not? We only have twenty minutes to get to Kings Cross and Platform nine and three-quarters."

Shaking himself and running around the otherside of the beautiful car and sitting down he shut the door quickly, eyes blinking as he looked around inside. "Put that on." Potter pointed to the seatbelt beside him.

"I have been in a car before Potter, it's just never been one of these. It's beautiful!" He sounded so awed, Harry couldn't help but laugh as he buckled his own seatbelt and started up the car.

**

In a magically inhanced Ferari they were zooming down the snow covered dirt roads and into the snow covered roads of the city; into the parking lot of King's Cross Station. Shrinking the car and poketing, they were running with their trunks in their hands as they ran through the station and through Platform nine and three-quarters to the Hogwarts Express with 10 minutes to spare.

Heaving and coughing, Draco leaned against a brick wall.

"Shit. Malfoy, are you okay. Can you breathe?" His eyes took on that concerned tint again and Draco heaved a breath and breathed out slowly. "I'm fine." He sounded pained to his own ears.

"Here, this might help." He pulled something odd looking from his pocket and pressed it to Draco's dry lips. He frowned and looked awkwardly down at it.

"It's not completely muggle, it's called an inhaler. It's magically inhanced by me though, it'll help you breathe more easily. Open your lips." Draco hesitantly did as told, a push of Harry's finger on the top had something squirting into his mouth and he coughed.

He glared and pushed Harry's arm away. His lungs still hurt though and he winced.

"You need to **inhale** it, breathe it in when I push the button." He tapped said button then putting the medicine to Draco's lips once more. He tried not to notice the many people that had stopped to stare at the two of them and opened his lips hesitantly.

Push. Inhale. Cough. Harry tried not to laugh as he watched Draco struggle. "Better. You'll get better, though I hope you don't need to use it often." He leaned over and tucked the medicine into his jacket pocket.

"Come on, we need to get on the train..." Draco nodded quickly and headed in that direction in front of Harry.

They stopped just inside the train, an awkward silence ensuing as neither of them knew what to do or where to go and if they should go together or not. Taking a plunge Harry grabbed Draco by the arm and pulled him down to the Slytherin end of the train; Draco's eyes widened incredulously.

"Are you serious?" Harry nodded resolutely.

"I'm not going back to Gryffindor..Draco." He frowned but nodded none the less and headed for a compartment that he hoped didn't contain anyone he still knew.

Unfortunetly not to be, they walked straight into a compartment with Eighth Years having a private conversation.

" _Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaco!!"_ She sprang up and hugged him tightly, he coughed and weezed; trying to pry her off. The other occupants were paying more attention though to the man standing beside Draco and glaring at Pansy.

"Pan..Pansy."

"...."

"I..I can't...I ca.." You could hear him trying to breathe, Harry growled, eyes flashing and she was being pushed forcefully to the other side of the compartment.

She blinked and pouted, eyes tearing then narrowing as she realised it wasn't Draco that had done it, but ...Potter?

Draco breathed gratefully, his hand resting on Potter's arm, who's hand was clenched into a fist beside his pants. "Thanks."

Harry shook his head, "Don't worry. That cow shouldn't even have the right to be here let alone squeeze the air out of you." He growled. 

Draco blinked, "What?"

His eyes burned with the fire of a curse just itching to spring forth from his tongue. "Why are you here?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, this is the Slytherin end of the train Potter." She hissed and smoothed down her skirt as she sneered at him from the seat.

"Don't you sneer at me you little bitch!" Draco's eyes widened, "Potter..." It was quite.

"Answer me!"

"I have every right to be here. I got a Hogwarts letter." She poked her tongue defiently.

"Got a Hogwarts letter." He scoffed.

"Yes Potter, A Hogwarts Letter. I have every right to be here. I didn't do anything wrong!! You're the one that should be in Azkaban, you murdered people! You defeated the Dark Lord, aren't you worried you'll be exactly like him? Another Dark Lord?" She flicked her hair back, completely ignoring him.

If she had looked she would of noticed the way he was standing, eyes blazing and his hands clenched tightly either side of him, jaw clenched; his breathing shallow and heavy. He took one step inside the compartment and the doors and windows shattered, several echoing cries down the hall showed it hadn't just been theirs. All their eyes widened, several people sticking their heads around to take a look at the scene.

"You bitch!" Another step and his hand was coming down fast toward her face, that was rappidly paling; swallowing, Draco clenched his jaw and rushed between them in time to have the hand come down on him instead.

He winced and flew back through the shattered door of the compartment, his head hitting the other side of the hallway. He groaned and rubbed the back of his head, taking a few pained breaths.

Harry stood there blinking, a frown slowly crossing his angry features as his head went sideways to look at him, confused.

"Wha..."

He took a breath and closed his eyes, "Why did you do that?"

Another groan and a hitch in Draco's breathing was his only answer.

"For fuck's sake Draco!!" Pushing his hand through his hair roughly, he knelt down beside him and pushed his hands to his stomach; Draco winced.

Hissing Harry angled his angry eyes on Draco, who winced further at the reprimanding and angry emotions in those eyes. He swallowed. "Sorry."

"Why the hell would you do that?" He shook his head, still angry. Draco just shrugged, not really sure why he **had** done it; she deserved that slap, he knew that. But he didn't want Potter do that...For some reason...

More stares were being bore down on them as they conversed without taunts and Potter was touching him and he wasn't spitting into his face. Quite a shock for the populis of Hogwarts, by the end of the train ride everyone would know what had transpired on the Express between them.

Leaning over Harry shoved his hand in Draco's pocket and pulled out the medicine; "Take." He pushed it to Draco's lips, he frowned as he eyed everyone around them, his cheeks started to tinge.

"Malfoy." He looked annoyed, he didn't want to get Potter mad any further and especially not at him. Licking his lips, he opened them slightly enough for the inhaler and waited for Potter to press his finger down so he could inhale.

Push. Inhale. Cough. **COUGH.** He pushed the inhaler away quickly as he doubled over with pain and coughed more. "Fuck." Harry swore. "No no Malfoy, don't hunch over you're going to make it worse!!" He pushed him quickly onto his back and lifted his shirt; several people gasped and he rolled his eyes, warm hands pushing gently into Draco's stomach.

He bit his lip as Draco winced and moaned and coughed further. Breathing out he closed his eyes, hands resting on the stomach, unknown to him, they started to glow. "Okay." _'Concentrate, Concentrate Harry.'_

The next couple of minutes were quite tense, everyone watching as Harry Potter seemed to be healing Draco Malfoy by wandless magic.

Several people came rushing down the Hall of the train suddenly, two of them shouting his name. He frowned and concentrated harder to block anything that wasn't Draco out.

"Harry! Harry!"

"Mate! Harry, Mate!"

He frowned further as Draco's breathing seemed to worsen a second before hitching, he pushed harder on the stomach; waiting for it to hitch again in breath before lifting the heavy pressure. Another minute and Draco was as he was before he did something incredibly stupid.

He sighed as he opened his eyes and narrowed them on Draco's face as he sat up. "You're uhm...still angry huh?"

He didn't respond, just silently nodded with narrowed eyes. "I said I was sorry."

"You expect that to mean anything, Malfoy you just did something incredibly stupid!"

He groaned and colored further in embarassment, "You were about to hit a girl!"

" ** _What?_** " " ** _So?_ _She's a Pansy. It doesn't count._** "

He groaned again, rubbing his forehead. "No, she doesn't. You still shouldn't hit a girl though, you're Harry Potter." Harry made a face. "You were just proving her point..."

Harry reared back like he'd been the one to get slapped; Draco put his head into his hands upon seeing the deflated crushed look on his face.

"Potter."

Harry shook his head, his teeth nawing on his bottom lip; he stood, blinking a couple more times than necessary. "I uhm..." He shook his head, turning on his heel in the opposite direction of his friends.

"Potter!" He stood hurriedly, someone helping him to his feet, Harry continued to walk away. "Harry!"

The man stopped midstep, turning slowly back around; an eyebrow raised in quiry.

"I'm sorry. You know I don't think that..." Damn he was really swallowing his pride here, it was starting to sound like he really liked Potter. Well...Fuck.

Harry's eyes were unusually bright and he swore under his breath, taking a few steps and falling sideways into the wall; Harry's eyes widened and he rushed toward him.

"You can't breathe again can you?" Draco shook his head.

Pulling the inhaler from Draco's pocket again he pressed it to Draco's lips and he inhaled, coughing twice before inhaling another dose and sighing with his hand clenched in Harry's jumper.

Harry's friends looked on with mild mortification and curiousity.

"Come on, you need to lye down..." Slowly they made their way to another unbroken compartment and sat down, Draco's head in Harry's lap for the first time; his cheeks bright red as they weren't alone either, Draco's other two friends, Blaise and Theo, Harry's friends, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna had followed.

"Uhm...Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Why is Malfoy on your lap?"

"He needs to lye down and he can't really do that with all the seats occupied can he?"

"Suppose not...But why uhm, what's going on?"

Draco snorted, his eyes closed as Harry's hand unconsciously carded through his soft hair.

"I met Draco over the summer, he moved in with me..."

"So because of that, you and Draco are now friends?" Hermione had a big smile.

They both nodded together silently, Harry tried not to groan as Draco's head moved ontop of his cock; it gave a little twitch and Draco made a startled noise.

Everyone frowned.

Harry's eyes shifted around, not really meeting anyone. "Can you move down a bit more??" He aimed this at Blaise who was on the same seat next to him, he nodded, though really it was aimed at Draco, who complied by the smallest bit so it wasn't obvious.

"Harry why did you disappear for so long and not contact any of us then up and reappear at the start of 'Eighth Year'?" He shrugged, distractedly.

"Harry. We're your friends, you blocked us out..."

 _"And let Malfoy in..."_ He heard the muttered words.

"Look I'm sorry that you felt like I was blocking you out, but I needed the space. And it wasn't like I'd planned to see Malfoy over the summer, he was just near where I live... He didn't want to live where he was so we decided to put our differences aside and he moved in...The place I live is big enough that you could avoid each other most of the time anyway. That's it really..."

He got several voice recongnisions but not one worded response.

The train ride after that wasn't exactly comfortable but it wasn't unbareable either. The moment the train came to a screeching halt at Hogsmead Station, he had to gently shake Draco awake enough that he was relatively stable on his feet as they walked to the Carriages.

Again the Carriage ride wasn't exactly a comfortable silence but it still wasn't completely unbareable. Draco had once again fallen to sleep, lent up against Harry's side, his face smooshed into Harry's neck and his drool dribbling down underneath Harry's shirt; he shivered involutarily. Shifting gently, Draco moaned and gribbed Harry's middle with his hand, trying to keep him in place.

"You seem to be close to Draco now, Potter."

"Mmhm. We got over our differences...Have to if your living in the same place."

"Mm. Why do you keep saying 'place', it's like you're trying to keep where your living a secret?" Theodore Nott narrowed his eyes suspciously as well as the rest of the occupants, Draco moaned into his neck again and bit down, he winced.

"I'm not keeping anything, it's just a place. Why does it have to have a name??"

"Because most 'places' do, Potter. Say like, a Manor, a House, a Cabin, a Hut, a Castle, a Villa, an Apartment, a Chateau, a Tent...You see where I'm going with this right?" Harry nodded resigned.

"Well what is it??" Theo smirked.

A deephearted sigh, "A Manor. Are you happy?" The man smirked further and nodded in triumph.

"Mate you own a Manor??" Harry nodded. "Uh since when??"

"Since probably...Since I was born?" They blinked confused, "It's **_called_** , Potter Manor II."

"Seriously, Potter Manor II??" Blaise snorted, Harry narrowed his eyes, a michievous look in his Green orbs. "Yes. Seriously."

Really his Manor was called Salador II. It wasn't from his Family it was from his Ancestors. He smirked in his mind, as if he'd tell them any of that; they'd have heart attacks.

The Carriage abruptly came to a halt and they got out one by one, Harry and Draco to come out last as Harry had to once more wake Draco from slumber; he disgustedly wiped the drool from his shoulder and neck and winced as his hand graced over a bite mark. He looked up at Draco in annoyance for the unwanted pain in his neck but the other boy was looking up at the Entrance Doors and who stood in front of them.

He could quietly hear a awed "Severus" from Draco's lips and he tilted his head in surprise, he'd thought Draco had known Snape was alright?

"You didn't know?"

"You didn't tell me...How was I supposed to know and I never bothered to ask when I saw his name on the letters, we were going to come here anyway so it seemed pointless to ask." He was distracted as he spoke to Harry, not even looking at him but at the man looking at them on the steps.

They got closer and they were stopped from entering at the barred way of the Headmistress and her Deputy along with two other strangers that suddenly stood behind them. Harry frowned and narrowed his eyes at them. One of them narrowed their eyes back and the other had a massive smile on his face. He groaned inwardly, that one was a fan wasn't he??

"Professor's is there something wrong?" Harry thought he knew what this was about, but they could of been a little more polite and stopped them inside and pulled them aside while everyone was piling into the Great Hall, out here it was just plain rude.

"This doesn't concern you Mister Potter why don't you head on in?" She smiled politely, he shook his head.

"No I think I'm good, this has everything to do with me." He snorted at both their expressions and that of the Aurors. Draco snorted beside him, "You needn't bother, they'll probably just seperate us anyway." Harry shook his head, "No they won't. I have a few questions of my own actually." He narrowed his eyes at the Headmistress and she paled a shade or two, two red tinges appearing high on her cheeks.

"Well? Are you going to **_take_** us inside yet or stand out here and let the rest of Hogwarts know exactly what you think of Mister Malfoy." He sneered the words and several people including the professors recoiled at the words, shocked beyond measure really.

"That is no way to talk to your Headmistress and Head of House Potter."

Harry shrugged unconcerned, "Could of let us inside first and taken us aside but you didn't do that the polite way so why should I be?" Snape's mouth hung open a second and took a menacing step forward, Harry stood right where he was nonplussed and raised an eyebrow. "Something to say Professor?"

He clenched his teeth and swirled on his heels, "Well, come on!" And they headed into the Castle and whatever isolated room they were going to interogate Draco in. Harry smirked all the way there.

Upon reaching an isolated room on the fourth floor, Draco seemed to be confused why they weren't just going to use the Headmistress' office. Harry answered that question for him quietly, "They can't open it." He smiled widely and pushed him gently into the chair and pulled up his own next to Draco's. Draco looked at him and laughed suddenly, thinking about how he'd managed to do that.

Everyone bar Harry looked at him with some concern, like he was crazy. Harry just laughed right along side him, making him looking equally insane.

"Are you two quite alright?"

"Mm. Yeah we're fine, inside joke."'

"Mmhm." Snape just stared hard at the both of them, calculating.

"Shall we start Headmistress?" One of the two Aurors sat either side of the medium sized table, one taking the bottle of veritserum from Snape and the other waiting for the affirmative. She nodded quietly, watching both boys. Thoughts swirling in her brain about why Harry Potter was there too.

"Alright. Open up Mister Malfoy." The one with the veritserum came closer and tipped three drops onto his tongue. Draco blinked several times, everything aquiring a strange blurr around the edges.

"Precaution; What's your name?"

"Draco Lucius Malfoy." He sneered the last two names. The men frowned.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 18." The men nodded.

"Where have you been since the..." He turned to McGonagall, she mouthed; "...end of your Sixth Year?"

"Here and there..." He blinked and the men frowned again, he humphed. "Were you with Death Eaters?"

"Yes and No." He blinked several times. "Does he need another dose already?" Snape shook his head.

"Okay... Why yes and no?"

"Because I was with Severus then he left and I was on my own, then I was with actual Death Eaters."

"Actual Death Eaters, what does that mean?"

"Severus wasn't, isn't a Death Eater." Then men nodded, "We know that."

"That's what I meant." Harry let out a frustrated sound, "Are you serious right now, you fucking suck at asking questions. You're barely asking him anything you don't already know, you're never going to get anything out of him at that rate." He shook his head and rolled his eyes right infront of them at their stupidity; Aurors really were stupid, well the ones they had now anyway.

The man asking the questions frowned at him and his attitude, this wasn't the way The Harry Potter was portrayed. "Are you really Harry Potter?"

Now Harry really did look at him like he was a complete moron. "Yes, you complete moron. I am." The man shrugged and muttered something below Harry's hearing; he narrowed his eyes; and then went back to trying to question Draco.

"Why were you with Death Eaters?"

"They captured me."

"...From where?"

He made a frustrated noise, "I don't know...It's a forest covered in snow, there's a cabin there among a bunch of tall wirey trees."

"Okay. And how did they capture you?"

"I didn't stay in the cabin like Severus told me too." The man made a growling noise. "I went out occasionally to hunt for food, there wasn't anything left to eat in the Cabin; if I didn't I would of starved. I don't know how they find me...All I know is that I was scared everyday that they would find me and they did."

"Where did they take you?"

"Malfoy Manor."

"Was your Father there?"

"Yes."

"What was he doing?"

"Yelling at me for disobeying him and their Lord."

"And?" They could see there was more to it.

"They were holding a meeting there, it's why they brang me there. My Father was with them when they captured me, it wouldn't surprise me if he had something to track my movements....Because his Lord was there he put on a show of it."

"It?"

"Reprimanding me? Yelling at me? Beating me."

"The last wasn't in the form your own question; Your father beats you?"

Draco snorted, "With a Death Eater as a Father what do you expect him to do when I don't obey him or the one he serves like a lunatic? Anything I do that's wrong he beats me till he thinks I've understood the meaning of don't fuck up next time." His breathing got shallower.

"From what age did he start beating you?"

Draco blinked several more times, remaining quiet. The men turned toward Severus, he shook his head. "Four." He frowned at his own words.

"Did you just say four?" Draco nodded. "Yes."

The man rubbed his face tiredly, almost angrily. "Unbelieveable, who, even a Death Eater beats their own son."

"Mine..." The man frowned and moved on, "What did he do during this...Show?"

Draco sat there, his jaw clenched tightly for a minute before his breathing got quicker and made a frustrated noise. Harry frowned now too, it was something that had been bugging him. Draco hadn't told him all the facts, he was sure of it. Obviously this wasn't something he willing to share; but with veritserum he had no choice.

His mouth opened jerkily of it's on accord and "He did exactly that, he made a show of beating me to a pulp in front of his Lord and did what he always does." He tried to be as vague as possible, his jaw still clenching. 

"Which **_is_**?"

He bit his lip hard enough for it to bleed, he really didn't want to let it slip out. He didn't want anyone to know. He never wanted to remember it himself.. He had nightmares about it, always had.

"Please..." He clenched his jaw tightly shut again and buried his head in his hands. Harry watched him with concern and rubbed his back in small circles, seeing the hitching of his back as he breathed.

"Draco calm down, remember your breathing." His back jerked even more as he spoke, suddenly realising that Draco was crying underneath those hands; his heart almost broke.

"Draco..." He rubbed his back in larger circles, trying to ease the man's discomfort, but it didn't seem to be helping at all. He cursed and shoved his hand into Draco's jacket pocket, cursed again at not finding it in that one and stood quickly, rushing around to his other side and sighing in joy at finding the medicine.

"Draco, Draco lift your head." Draco did as Harry instructed slowly, his cheeks tinged pink even through the tear stains, his chest heaving and his breathes coming in weezes. McGonagall stood, reaching for the floo powder on the matel of the Fireplace in the room. Harry shook his head at seeing her, "It's fine, you don't need to call Poppy."

"Draco breathe." Draco was trying his hardest, he could see that be needed to try even harder to calm himself before taking it. "Just a little more, okay?" He chuckled and mimicked calming breaths. Draco chuckled too and embarrassed, began copying Harry's calming breaths.

When he was calm enough Harry put the inhaler to his lips and pushed the top button; inhaling Draco breathed out and inhaled again when Harry pushed down. Harry nodded, "Good. You're alright?" He nodded, his breathing still wasn't what Harry wanted at the moment, but it would have to do.

"You need to try and stay calm okay, no matter what you have to say alright?" Draco nodded reluctantly. "I'll try." Harry nodded back and held the inhaler closely in his hand.

"Potter why do you have that muggle inhaler and why did you just give it to Malfoy?" Harry turned his head to look infront of him at Snape. "Because he needs it. And it's not completely muggle; it just looks muggle. I made it, it's magical; works a hell of a lot better too."

"Mmhm." He narrowed his eyes but looked at Draco and his calmer demenior and didn't say anything further.

Another few drops of green liquid and the man once more asked the same question. Harry glared.

A quickening of his breathing, taking a few deep breaths and he was ready to answer quietly. "What he always does is..." He rubbed his face, not quite as ready as he thought. A hand suddenly laid ontop of his own under the table and he jerked a little bit, hesitantly threading their fingers together. "He..." He closed his eyes, maybe it was better if he couldn't see everyone's faces. "He...Herapedme." He sorter just quickly mumbled through it, everyone frowned as they all quickly disifered his rushed words.

"Did you just... ** _He what_**?" Draco's eyes remained tightly screwed shut. He didn't want to see anyone's faces least of all Severus and Harry's. He heard both of their gasps though and that hurt.

"Draco that's..." Snape couldn't seem to find more than those two words out of his whole vocabulary.

Harry remained silent, eyes not looking at anyone. Draco's eyes opened slowly and eyed him as he still hadn't said anything. "Potter...?"

Shaking himself out his own memories Harry smiled sadly at him, Draco narrowed the silver orbs and frowned at the shiny glossyness of Harry's green ones.

_'Have to find out what that was later...'_

"What did he do after?"

"Dragged me by strans of my hair to his Lord's scaly feet, then yanked again so I'd look up to him." He shivered involunarily. "What's next?"

He took a deep breath, "He was quite pleased with my Father's little show of how he treats his disobedient son, I on the hand not so much..." He sneezed suddenly and blinked several times, "He hissed something into my face, I'm not sure what it was because I don't speak Paseltongue. But it was probably something like 'Disobedience again deserves execution.' I uhm..." He avoided looking at Harry and tried to pull his hand away but he wouldn't let him. "He called something, he whistled and something flew into the room; the only lights left on in the room were the two wall lamps behind their Lord. I remember looking up frightened and seeing black horned wings above my head, claws coming around my body and seeing Him sit there with a malicious smile on his face, he licked whatever lips he thought he'd possessed too. Whatever it was behind me didn't pause to bow or lick it's Master's feet, it went right on to devour me."

He took another deep breath, "What do you mean devour you? You're still alive aren't you?"

Draco narrowed his eyes, yeah that wasn't actually something he knew. "I don't know..."

"Whatever it was, it clawed into me and it felt like I was being wripped apart; I blacked out after a couple seconds of the first set of claws. When I came too...I was standing in the middle of the Battle field; the Final Battle. I was scared someone would recognise me, but that wasn't ever going to be a problem; I was covered in blood from head to toe, only half belonging to myself. Whatever bit me, when I was standing on that Battle field in the midst of complete carnage I didn't feel like myself, like something had taken over my body and massacared all those people. When I fully came back to myself, I didn't feel a heavy weight on my back, didn't see claws on my hands or hear the screams of far away people being slaughtered. I couldn't disobey before, I had no choice; I wasn't me. But I could now, and I did. I murdered their own." He blinked several times to clear a different type of blurriness and startled when a tissue was held against his cheek.

"I blacked out again but this time, it was a normal black out; falling unconcious. When I woke up, I was laying in a part of Hogwarts grounds in the middle of dead Death Eater bodies. I kept quiet and pretended when I heard people heading my way, it was with their muttering that I knew the Light Side had won and I was glad for it. Maybe then I could be safe." He snorted derisively. "As if, right? I was never safe."

The other man went to ask a further question but Draco opened his mouth; he was willing to tell them all this shit now, veritserum or not.

"The Death Eaters that escaped were bound to be angry over the Defeat of their Dark Lord and the many of their own men that I killed. So they chased after me, and I didn't realise they were just playing a game with me until I made the mistake of going back to the same spot I had already been to earlier that same day. I'd apparated from place to place trying to stay hidden from them, I'd avoided the cabin and I didn't care where I went just so long as I was hidden, I didn't care if I splinched myself in the process; At that point I didn't really care. The pain was bareable. I was tired when I made that mistake; I hadn't slept in a long time. But I still made it and it almost cost me my life."

"From the moment they caught me the first time, they'd continued to track my movements. They'd just wanted to play chase with their victim before they killed him." He still sounded disgusted with himself for falling for their cat and mouse tricks.

The man with the veritserum opened his mouth again and quickly spoke to Professor Snape. "Is he still under the influence of veritserum, we haven't had to ask any questions?" Severus rolled his eyes at the stupidity, "He wants to tell you everything now; it's why you don't need to ask questions. Just listen to the truth."

Both men nodded.

"When I realised how much of a fool I'd been for falling straight into their little cat/mouse game I wanted to smack my head repeatedly against a wall, well of course they were happy to do that for me; more specifically Lucius, my Father. Or not, he disowned me."

"After that I spent every waking and sleeping moment being tortured. I'm not 100% sure but there may have been one or two occasions where they wouldn't...My...Lucius was the head of torturing. Most of those two months after the Battle was a complete blurr to me. Though I'm not surprised, I'm glad I can't recall much of it. Having one's own Father torture you isn't exactly a pleasant experience; I envy those children with loving parents...It was never a pleasant experience and that one topped the proverbial blood soaked cake." He sounded sarcastic.

"I really don't recall how I escaped that night but somehow I seemed to manage it. For an odd reason I ended up apparating to an unknown location on the outskirts of london in the beginnings of a blizzard, the reason it was odd though, was because even though an unknown location; I felt like I'd been there before. They tracked me all the way out there and I ran, they chased me through the freezing snow snorm. It was a while I was out there, I was suddenly finding myself being pulled inside a ward pretecting a Manor. His Manor." He blinked once and pointed to Harry.

"He's lived under my roof since then; it's why we're so close now. We put our differences behind us. You should of seen the state he was in though, I was surpised he was still alive. But I'm glad I managed to heal him, though his lungs and ribs are never going to be the same again; it's why he needs the magical inhaler." He looked towards Snape as he said this, as if half accusing him of not taking better care of the one that cares about him enough to speak his first name and be cared about in turn enough to be allowed to say his first name.

"What Potter? Why are you glaring at me?" He glared right back.

"You care about him don't you? You should of tried harder to take care of him." Draco chocked on his own spit. "Harry!"

"I do yes. Naturally. Being that I am his GodFather as well as his Head of House. But that's not enough to get me into his house after allegiences had been leaked, nor is it in anyway enough to know where he went after I told him not to leave the cabin. It's because he did that they found him in the first place."

"GodFather?" Snape nodded arogantly. "Yes Potter. GodFather."

Harry closed his eyes and opened his mouth, but Draco's hand quickly covered it. "Stop Harry. I do understand and I know it's my fault for leaving the cabin even if it was to not starve. Don't argue with him though, you need to get reasonably along if you want to switch houses." He gasped and bit his lip.

Harry's eyebrows shot up, "Draco your under truth serum you should hardly be blurting out information like that. I'm glad my Manor is under my own Fidelus and forbids you to say anything other than Manor. Though I'm not 100% sure you even know the name of the Manor."

Draco shook his head, he didn't. Though he had a feeling it was somewhere in the very back of his mind, there was something about that Manor that was so familiar to him, like he'd defintely been there before.

"Mmm, I'll tell you later. But I suppose it's not much of a secret, I would of told them anyway. I plan to re-sort myself after the first years. This is my 'Eighth Year' of Hogwarts and I wanted to do it in my rightful house."

"Rightful house Mister Potter?" He nodded, "Yes."

"Which would **_be_** Potter, we haven't got all night."

Smiling with a hint of a smirk, he spoke as matter afactly as he could without bursting into laughing upon seeing their shocked and bewildered expressions. "Slytherin."

 **"What?!"** Similtaniously.

"The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin my first year, I asked it not too; so it put me into Gryffindor. A snake in lions clothing if you would. So...I will be re-sorting myself into the right house this year and I'm sure many will have some serious fainting fits but I'm sure the hat will just love to re-sort me properly." His smile reached quite far and it was mischievous.

Snape's slack face was almost enough to make Harry **_and_** Draco burst out laughing.

"Don't be obsurd Potter, you're a Gryffindor through and through." Harry raised his eyebrow in amusement, "Sorry Professor but the way I've been acting all 'Seventh Year' and the way I defeated Voldemort contradicts that quite alot. As well as the fact, the Hat's first choice for me was Slytherin."

Snape scoffed and stood abruptly, "We'll see Potter."

A moment later and they were all heading out of the room and back down to the Entrance Hall; the Aurors carrying various papers scratched with ink.

"Well have a lovely day." With that they were off back to the Ministry to file their reports and the four other people headed into the Great Hall, making a hell of an Entrace as they all walked in together, Draco and Harry side by side; hands almost touching.

A few people yelled out what was going on and why they were together. The first years sat infront of the Head Table nervously waiting to be sorted into their houses. Ron and Hermione ran up to them, trying to pull Harry back to the Gryffindor Table with them, he frowned and tugged his wrist away from their prying hands.

Patting him on the arm, Draco angled his head at the Slytherin Table and headed in that direction at the subtle nod of Harry's own messy head. Walking after the Headmisstress and Deputy Headmaster, Harry stood to the side of the Head Table, smiling sweetly at the jittering first years looking at him awed; he sighed inwardly.

"Hello and Welcome to Hogwarts; First Years and returning students. This year we have added an extra Year for those that had missed their Seventh Year due to the unfortune War. Thankfully we can all live our lives without the threat of Voldemort hanging over our heads, due the enormous effort of Harry Potter." They all clapped and cheered, the First Years stood up.

"Now we'll be sorting the First Years and...Harry Potter." McGonagall trailed off at his name.

The sorting lasted longer than previous years; many more 11 year old jittery children. Harry stood quitely and watched, waving to one of them as they continued to stare at him from under the brim of the Sorting Hat. He could see the terrified look, the closing of his eyes and slumping of his shoulders as he was sorted into Slytherin. Walking to the table with his head bent, Harry stopped him quickly before he completely reached it.

"Hey, relax. Slytherin isn't a bad house, it just doesn't have the most lovely reputation. Don't let it or the people around you get you down. Okay? I'll be right here if you want to talk about it, same with him over there; see the blonde?" The small boy nodded slowly. "His name is Draco Malfoy and he's not a bad person no matter what other people say." The boy hesitantly nodded again and clenched his hand a second before walking with his head held high to sit right beside Draco.

Harry smiled at them, Draco nodded; a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Harry Potter?"

Blinking he moved swiftly up onto the platform and sat on the stool, taking the Hat from Snape's potion stained hands and placing it delicately on his head; the brim just covering his eyes from view.

 _"Ah Harry Potter back again I see; do you wish to go to your rightful place in Slytherin House?"_ Harry nodded under the wide brim and muttered, _"Yes of course. I've come to realise where I should of been, but I see now that being in Gryffindor was still good for me."_ The hat moved in a nodding type motion around his head. Muttering about the distracting gasps and whispers of the students surrounding them.

 _"Very well then... **SLYTHERIN!!!** " _Harry smirked, thanked the Hat and handed it back to the stunned Potions Professor; he numbly took it. Standing he walked with his head held high and a hint of the smirk remaining on his lips all the way down the stairs and to his new house for the year.

"Potter. Welcome to Slytherin House." You could just hear the smirking amusement as he spoke.

"Pleasures all mine Draco." He sat down then right beside him, humming in amusement as there were several people shouting all at once and bodies dropping to the floor like flies.

There was an awkward cough from behind him and he turned half around with a raised eyebrow, "Professor?"

Another cough, "Welcome to Slytherin House Potter. I hope you come to regret your decision." He strode off, but not before Harry's words penetrated his brain. "Oh don't worry Sir. I won't. I was supposed to be a Slytherin before, and I will be a proper one now."

Snape ground his teeth together as he started walking again; having stopped abruptly at the spoken words.

"Oh that reminds me, I still need to ask my own question to Professor McGonagall." His hand froze over the plate containing bread rolls as he spoke.

"And what would that be?"

"Mm. I'll ask her later..." Draco looked at him amusedly when he continued to muse about it and ignore his question entirely.

It was a minute later before Harry's head turned in his direction, "Oh, sorry. Did you say something Draco?"

"Hah." Draco shook his head with an amused smirk, "Not at all."

"Oh." He shrugged and went back to thinking and distractedly eating breadrolls.


End file.
